Ingrid Stübinger: Wholly Immersive Painting

Hello Ingrid, it's a pleasure to meet you. What can you tell us about your artistic beginnings?

I have been drawing and painting since my childhood. But it was only after the discovery of Cézanne's watercolors at the age of sixteen that my world view changed and so did my work. I then developed a sensitivity for colors, transparencies, space and its construction. I looked at objects and landscapes differently. That's when my signature style actually began. 

After an exhibition of Soutine's bloody carcasses and bouquets of flowers made me feel the powerful energy of the materiality of paintings, I decided to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris.  

Since 1992, I have been living in Paris where I both work and teach. The workshops in Paris allowed me to dive deeper into my technique and to continue the exploration of the living model.  

It was in 2007 that I first exhibited in Paris. This was followed by shows in Germany and Switzerland. In 2018, I was fortunate to receive the Taylor Grand Prize for my landscapes. 

Nature is at the heart of your work. How do you select the places and subjects you depict on canvas?  

When I work on my motifs, the place I select is inevitably linked to sensations provoked by what I see. My challenge is then to capture the essence of these sensations' origins and transpose it onto the canvas.

For some time, this process has been reversed. I work on large formats and in the studio.

The impulse comes more from within, as if I carry these depictions inside me and bring them out through my body and my brushes. The work is freer and more physical. 

Who are the artists, and in particular the women artists, that have inspired you the most?

I immediately think of Paula Modersohn-Becker and her sensitive, dense and reduced landscapes. There is also Gabriele Münter and the luminosity and radical expressionism of her painting.

I’m fascinated by the the works of Rosa Bonheur. She was a woman of conviction, someone who was profoundly feminist and a true eco warrior. Through her painting she tries to raise awareness about the current state of our planet and show us how insignificant we all are in the face of nature. In her animal-based works, she wants to create a connection between the animal and the viewer by making us look them in the eyes and make us feel for them - like a window into their soul. I've always thought of it as a wonderfully modern approach! 

And then I think of Joan Mitchell. The vibrant colors and lyrical vibrations of her abstractions transport me every day. 

Do you consider being a woman artist today as an opportunity or a hindrance? 

Well, since the beginning of art history, women artists have been widely under represented in comparison to their male colleagues who have always been present in museums, galleries, collections. 

To my great joy, the scales are now tipping. The art market is changing. There are more and more recognized female artists. I feel like I am part of this process and which is both a challenge and a great opportunity.

My gratitude goes out to the pioneering women artists who, through their courage, temerity, perseverance and outstanding work, have paved the way for us.